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Overview

Details

Property

villa

Sleeps

12

Bedrooms

6

Bathrooms

6

Half Baths

1

Minimum Stay

7 nights

Description

Palaia Villa Rental Photos and Description

6 Bedroom, 6 Bath Newly Restored Villa With Pool On 7.5 Acres.

Casa Francia is a beautiful country home near the historic village of Palaia in the Tuscan hills between Pisa and Florence. Palaia is located in the Valdera region of Tuscany known among other things for its truffles.

The buildings and grounds were lovingly restored in 2011-2012. Extensive use of original materials has retained the charm of the property evoking the feel of a bygone era. The property features traditional wood beam and brick ceilings and terracotta floors.

This home is ideal for a large group of friends or multi generational family gatherings. Family friendly with elegant but at the same time comfortable furnishings and a game room. Up to 12 guests can be accommodated at Casa Francia – eight in the main house and four in the Casetta – literally “the little house”. Both houses have air conditioning and heating throughout.

The property is situated on 7.5 acres of woods, fruit trees, and olive groves with stunning views across the fields in front of the houses. Surrounded by working farms, you will experience the Tuscany the locals live. There is a large (12m by 6.5m) infinity pool with ample outdoor furniture. Outdoor patio areas around both houses provide a wonderful setting for al fresco dining. Additional outdoor amenities include a BBQ and pizza oven.

Casa Francia is in close proximity to many of the major attractions of Tuscany. It is located a few minutes outside of Palaia, a village whose history can be traced back to the 10th Century and in close proximity to a number of other medieval villages such as Lari with its ancient castle sitting in the center of town. Pisa is 30 minutes away. Florence, the walled city of Lucca, Viareggio and the coastal beaches, and the Etruscan town of Volterra (made famous by the Twilight series books) are all within an hour. Siena is a two hour drive and makes a nice day trip.

Main House

Four bedrooms, 4.5 baths, sleeps 8. The house has beautiful yet comfortable furniture accented with some antique pieces. Many original features have been retained and lighting is provided throughout the house by custom made Tiffany style lamps. You will find most of the comforts of home, such as air conditioning, Wi-Fi internet connection and satellite TV. Luxurious touches abound, with high quality linens and towels and soft pillows. Hair dryers are provided in each bathroom. Mosquito screens are provided on most of the windows and doors

Ground Floor

Entryway with small sitting area and accented with Tiffany style wall lights.

A large, gourmet kitchen with double ovens, American size refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave oven and a center island with an additional sink. The kitchen is fully equipped with American and Italian coffee makers, kettle, toaster, blender and a food processor. Ample plates, glasses and cutlery are provided. Fun touches for the kids include a Mickey Mouse grilled cheese maker and Disney character mugs.

The dining room accommodates 12 and provides a great view of the valley below.

The living room downstairs is situated under the original, beautifully restored brick arch as well as a wall bench where the old trough used to be. The wooden bench back was a part of the original trough and was where the animals were once tethered. Comfortable sofas and armchairs as well as a stereo provide a wonderful setting for relaxing and visiting with family and friends.

Rounding out the downstairs living quarters is the game room. Here we provide an abundance of books, a variety of board games, including chess and dominoes, a flat screen TVand a PS3.

Next to the game room is a half bath and the laundry room with a washer and dryer.

First Floor

The first floor has a ground level entrance into a living room with fireplace, comfortable sofas and a flat screen TV and a DVD.

All bedrooms have built in closets. Hairdryers are provided in all the bathrooms. A cot and a high chair are available if needed.

Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub and large shower. Romantic curtained queen bed and a flat screen TV. The window door provides a magnificent view of the valley below.

The Tower Room has a wrought iron queen bed and an en-suite bathroom with a large walk in shower. The staircase takes you up the loft which provides a hide-a-bed sofa, armchair, desk with desktop computer and flat screen TV.

The Red Room has two single beds which can be placed together to form a queen bed. The en-suite bathroom has a large walk-in shower with bright red tiles.

The Eggplant Room has another wrought iron queen bed with en-suite bathroom providing a walk-in shower with eggplant colored tiles.

“Casetta” - Little House

Two bedroom, 2 bath, sleeps 4 and in the low season is available for rental on its own. Ideal for one or two couple or a family of four. Fully equipped and very comfortable with high end furniture and fully air conditioned throughout.

Ground Floor

Luminous living room with high quality comfortable sofas, a flat screen TV and stereo. The living has magnificent arched door overlooking the woods. Just outside is a BBQ for great outdoor grilling.

Gourmet kitchen with oven, stove, dishwasher, built in refrigerator and microwave as well as a table for four. The kitchen is fully equipped with a variety of small appliances such as a blender and a small food processor. Ample plates, cutlery and glasses are provided.

First Floor

Two bedrooms each with en-suite bathroom with large showers.

The Rose room is a large bedroom with a queen bed, built in closet and a comfortable armchair facing the window and affording a wonderful view of the valley below.

The Mustard room has a queen bed and a lovely armoire, with amazing views of the valley.

Outdoor Areas

The outdoor areas begin with a large patio running the length of the main house which provides a magnificent setting for al fresco dining. Native plants and lemon pots provide lovely greenery. A table which can accommodate 12 and two large umbrellas make for relaxing family dinners overlooking the beautiful valley below.

An additional small grassy area with a table for four can be found in front of the casetta, providing additional outdoor seating.

Outside the arch room is a wood burning pizza oven and by the door to the Casetta you will find a large BBQ. Let your culinary juices flow!

A 12m x 6.5m infinity pool with a large patio and complete with pool furniture and umbrellas for shade make for hours of fun in the sun! Pool towels are provided.

Wander the field below and enjoy walks among our many fruit and olive trees.

The house has an electronic gate and is completed fenced in increasing privacy and security.

Amenities

• Washer and Dryer

• Fully Air Conditioned and heated

• Wireless Internet

• Satellite TV

• CD Player/Stereo with IPOD connection

• DVD Player

• BBQ

• Pizza Oven

• Hair Dryers in all Bathrooms

• Iron and Ironing Board

• Baby Cot

• High Chair

• Alarm System

Staff and Services:

• Property Manager who can also arrange a variety of services and excursions

• Maid Service three times per week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday

• Gardener/Caretaker

• Weekly linen change

The following are available for an extra fee:

• Laundry Service

• Initial Grocery shopping a per hour charge plus the cost of food

• More frequent linen and towel changes

• Breakfast for Euros 10.00 per person

Villa Policies:

• Maximum 12 guests

• Children Welcome

• Non-Smoking

• No pets allowed

• Strictly no diving in the pool

• No unaccompanied minors allowed at the pool

Location

2km from Palaia where you can find a small grocery store, a butcher, a gas station, takeout pizza, sundry store and several good restaurants

About Owner

We are a family of three from Los Angeles, California. I was born in Italy and my parents and all my family still live there. After many years of traveling to Italy to visit my family and renting a variety of villas, we decided to purchase our own home.

Since we live so far away, we started off determined to purchase a completed house that required little to no work. Ah, the best laid plans! The second we set foot on the land at Casa Francia we fell in love and we were doomed! The property, as near as we could tell, had been abandoned for somewhere on the order of 40-50 years. You can imagine the task we had set ourselves! If you visit us (and we hope you will) you will see pictures of where our journey began, all the way through what it is today. It’s been a tremendous, if somewhat bumpy ride.

Our journey began in the summer of 2009 when we signed the initial contract to purchase Casa Francia; an old farmhouse built is 1885 that once formed part of a larger farming concern called Fattoria di Pozzo and housed the tenant farmers. The lower floor housed the animals and had a trough where the animals fed under what today is the beautiful arched living room. The Casetta used to be the barn and is now a lovely two bedroom guest house.

Building permits were received in early 2010 and the purchase closed in late 2010. Renovations began in April 2011 and after a few bumps in the road while having to amend permits, meeting additional seismic requirements that changed in the middle of the game and numerous encounters with Italian bureaucracy, we finally finished in the fall of 2012. We think you will agree that it was worth the wait!

Owner purchased this villa in 2009

What makes this villa unique

Our property manager can also provide a variety of concierge services, such as breakfast or dinner at Casa Francia and various tours ranging from simple hiking to truffle hunts, to golf. Check them out on website follow the links below:

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Wonderful!4.9/5 -

(8 traveler reviews)

Amazing Vacation!!

We recently traveled to Italy with 5 other couples and spent a week at Casa Francia. We chose Casa Francia because of it's ideal location and the fact that it provided six separate (and beautiful) bedrooms each with their own ensuite bathroom.....and we were so happy that we did because it was truly an amazing experience. After venturing down a very interesting driveway we all arrived at what we came to call our own little piece of heaven. The home was truly spectacular from it's views, to how it was decorated, to it's location. While we spent most of our time outside on the patio, the interior of the home also provided several very comfortable living areas.....so with 12 people everyone had a place to enjoy. In addition, the kitchen was well equipped and the facilities including laundry, air conditioning (if needed) and security exceeded expectations. The location of this home is also ideal as it was an easy day trip to many places including Florence, Sienna, Pisa, Lucca and the beaches. The property manager was also an added plus as she was very responsive and available to help with making arrangements to see the area, grocery shopping and preparing meals. All in all a truly wonderful vacation that we will all never forget.

A perfect vacation!

From the very first moment, we arrived at Casa Francia I knew it was going to be the perfect place to stay. Christina greeted and welcomed us with open arms and proceeded to show us each of our rooms, they are lovely and spacious and more than comfortable with everyone having their own private bath. The rest of the house and casita has lots of ambling rooms for dining and for visiting or just kicking back and relaxing. The terrace, where we dined most days, has that beautiful picturesque backdrop reminiscent of the Tuscany postcards that are so famous. The pool area was equally as beautiful and was a refreshing start and end to our day.

Soon, we would meet Christina’s fun and spirited family and discover that they were going to be our chefs for the week, which I might add, turned out to be the best chefs in Tuscany. We started each day with a smorgasbord of breakfast choices and then after touring around the local countryside during the day we would come home to the smells of mouth watering Italian meals being prepared for our dinner. It is truly hard to say which meal was the best as each came with it's own special flavors and was truly a delight to the senses with each bite being better than the last.

Christina was great in mapping out and guiding us around for lots of fun-filled days. She and her sister keep us on track for discovering and exploring a new region each day including a wine tasting and a most interesting cheese factory tour. As much as we scouted around, I’m ready to go back and pick up where we left off as there’s so much more to see and do and plus I miss Christina’s sweet Italian family.

Also, I want to say "hats off to the owners" of Casa Francia, whom we were fortunate enough to meet prior to our travels; we could not have asked for a more perfect place and region to stay and I loved calling it home for a week. Finally, thanks to our dear friends, Scott and Julie, for making it all happen. It was truly an incredible time and the best vacation of our lives. All I can say is grazie, grazie, and grazie.

A Celebration of Family at Casa Fran

Our week-long stay at Casa Francia included a group of ten family members, among us our 1 ½ year old grandson. Upon our arrival, we were treated to a variety of appetizers and libations, all homemade and scrumptious. An equally delicious dinner followed, cooked in the Italian tradition and served to us on the deck at sunset. The view is breathtaking and personifies everything Tuscany. The tone for our stay was set this first night, and we were thrilled with each passing day that followed.

The Casa itself is beautiful in both structure and furnishings, and its five bedrooms, each with its own full bath, served everyone’s needs. Even the Cassetta, which had two full bedrooms and baths, was equipped with a beautiful kitchen and amenities, along with a family room featuring French doors displaying the breathtaking scenery. They provided a crib and a high chair for our grandson, but he was more interested in the fantastic pool at the Casa.

As glorious as the accommodations were, the staff as Casa Francia went about their tasks with much heart and grace. While we celebrated family, Christina and her family meshed beautifully with ours. They offered advice and aid in planning day trips (Lucca, Siena, San Gimignano, Pisa, and Florence are all easy trips from the Casa) and accompanied us when we were in need of a guide. We especially enjoyed tours of the local cheese factory, Formaggi della Famiglia, and the winery, La Spinetta, which were both spearheaded by Christina. Additionally, Christina was always eager to accommodate with grocery shopping, food requests, and necessary appointments.

We woke each morning to a beautiful spread of Italian cold cuts, cheeses, pastries, cereals, yogurt, fresh fruit, juice, and coffee. Evening meals were also prepared with much care and attention and never failed to delight us with one savory dish after another. Our family heritage is from Northern Italy, as my grandfather is from Carrara which is situated near Casa Francia. The meals prepared for us were reminiscent of our Nonie’s Sunday dinners, evoking cherished memories of our childhood. We were in heaven.

Throughout our stay, Christina and family demonstrated a desire to please their guests and were pleasant in the process of doing so. We couldn’t have asked for anything more. We were miles from home but found a new home at Casa Francia. We cannot wait to return.

Great base for Tuscan adventures

This is a fabulous home, really well appointed and equipped, in a great location for day trips to places like Pisa, Florence and Lucca. We were a family if just 4 but there is plenty of room for a larger party with various separate seating areas in and outside the house. The air con is very effective - vital as it was scorching hot! The pool is very large for a private pool with stunning views across the valley, and sunsets in the evening. The village of Palaia is a short drive away, and we went further to Pontedera to catch trains to Pisa and Florence. Nearest supermarket is 9km away so if you want a place close to amenities this may not be for you. The local manager, Cristina, was very helpful. We so enjoyed our first foray into Italy, and our adventures were enhanced by staying in this lovely villa

Picture Perfect in Palaia!

Loved this place! There were 9 of us, parents, adult kids, and young grandkids. There was plenty of room for everyone and the great thing was that there were so many different gathering areas if someone needed to find a quiet place. Unfortunately, British Airways stranded us in London so we arrived a day late. Cristina, the property manager was so kind and gracious. She continually stayed in touch letting us know that she was on standby for whenever we arrived. She and her sister had prepared dinner for us and had to put everything on hold for a day. It was still wonderful! The house was clean, modern, comfy beds, all the amenities you could hope for. Wifi was sporadic, but seems that is typical for Italy. We were so centrally located, so each day we went a different direction: Florence, Cinque Terre, Lucca, San Gimignano and one day we stayed around just so we could enjoy the pool and beautiful view after a trip to the market which was about a 20 min. drive. Cristina was great for anything we needed. She shopped for all the basic necessities for us, so upon arrival we could prepare breakfast, lunch and snacks. That was huge for us getting in so late in the day. She is also ready to set up tours and activities for whatever you may desire. Wish we could have stayed longer to see it all and do some of the wine tours. That was not a priority with the little ones :)

I would highly recommend staying here if you love tranquility and beauty all around. Do be sure to read all of the instructions, which we did not do at first and didn't realize the dryer had a water reservoir that needed to be emptied. There is a complete book of information and instructions. Every detail has been covered. It is a warm and welcoming 'home away' from home!

Spectacular views, “Spa” quality accommodations in a truly unique and beautiful home

We absolutely loved our time at Casa Francia. The house truly felt like a home away from home. Myself and several of my relatives traveled to Italy for my 50th birthday and the house was an absolute delight. It was a perfect combination of traditional and modern. Every room in both the Villa and the Cassetta were beautifully furnished and extremely comfortable. We loved the kitchen which was fully stocked with everything we needed from coffee in the morning to full dinners we prepared several evenings. We used both the large dining room table as well as the spectacular outdoor terrace for meals and to relax with a glass of wine. The views are stunning and the area peaceful and private. We spent almost every morning and evening on the patio area or by the beautiful pool. Our party included 5 adults and the main house provided more than enough space to spread out and enjoy. The house could have easily accommodated several additional guests with comfortable sleeping arrangements and bathrooms for everyone. Cristina, the property manager, was always available to offer recommendations including an Agriturismo which offered one of the best dinners of our entire stay as well as shopping and general directions. We visited many nearby towns including Palaia, Volterra, San Gimignano and Florence all of which were an easy drive from Casa Francia. The pool area also offered a wonderful setting to spend one of our day’s just relaxing and taking in the amazing views including an incredible sunset. There were so many beautiful aspects to the property it was difficult to tear ourselves away to go site seeing. Highly recommend this property and we definitely plan to return.

Casa Francia is approximately 2 km from the village of Palaia. Palaia is part of the province of Pisa and traces its history back to the 10th century. It is a lovely little village with a beautiful clock tower and several lovely little churches.

The area is known for its beautiful countryside and gently rolling farms. There are several olive oil producers and wineries in the near vicinity. Local activities include hiking, horseback riding, golf, not to mention truffle hunting! Palaia lies in the Valdera region, well known for its truffles.

Within a short distance the area is dotted with many other charming medieval villages, such as Certaldo, Lari, Marti, San Miniato and many others, all well worth a visit.

Pisa is 30 minutes away. Florence, the walled city of Lucca, Viareggio and the coastal beaches, and the Etruscan town of Volterra (made famous by the Twilight series books) are all within an hour. Siena is a two hour drive and makes a nice day trip.

Additional information about rental rates

Electricity per week

$213

Euros 1,500.00 security deposit and an Electricity Charge of Euros 200.00 per week are due in cash upon check in. 40% deposit due on booking and the balance 60 days prior to arrival. Deposit is refundable less 10% of total rental amount up to 60 days prior to arrival non refundable thereafter
Rates include:
Maid service Monday, Wednesday and Friday for 2 hours.
Weekly linen and towel change

Owner's Cancellation Policy

Please ask the owner or check their rental agreement when booking the property.

All bedrooms have high quality furniture. 5 Bedrooms with queen beds and one bedroom with twin beds. All bedrooms have independent air conditioning or heating. Hair Dryers are provided in every room.

Entertainment:

Books ...

DVD Player

Game Room ...

Games ...

Satellite / Cable ...

Television ...

Video Games ...

Outside:

Deck / Patio ...

Lawn / Garden ...

Outdoor Grill ...

Suitability:

Events Allowed

Minimum Age Limit for Renters ...

children welcome

non smoking only

pets not allowed

Pool / Spa:

Private Pool ...

Onsite Services:

Staff

Attractions:

churches

festivals

forests

restaurants

winery tours

Leisure Activities:

bird watching

horseback riding

scenic drives

walking

Local Services & Businesses:

ATM/bank

groceries

medical services

Sports & Adventure Activities:

cycling

equestrian events

golf

hiking

swimming

Notes:

Check out the concierge services, tours and excursions provided by our property manager! Enjoy a truffle hunt, breakfast and/or dinner at Casa Francia, chef services, tour a local cheese factory or a local winery, a day at the beach and much more! Just click on these links and check them out: http://www.casafrancia-palaia.com/Services.html http://www.casafrancia-palaia.com Tours_and_Excursions_2.html